UPnP Forum Implementer membership, which now stands at a record 124 out of the overall UPnP Forum 950-plus membership, allows companies to access the official UPnP certification test tools and submit devices for UPnP certification. Possession of UPnP certification provides confidence to vendors and users that different devices so certified will automatically and seamlessly interoperate in home and other networks.

Bang & Olufsen manufactures a highly distinctive and exclusive range of televisions, music systems, loudspeakers, telephones, and multimedia products that combine technological excellence with emotional appeal. Bang & Olufsen products are sold by over 1,000 dealers in more than 100 countries in an extensive network of retail stores. Approximately 70% of these stores are B1-stores, which exclusively sell Bang & Olufsen products and account for 82% of total turnover. The company, which employs over 2,000 people, now adds UPnP Implementer membership to its already formidable array of competencies.

”Making technology ‘disappear’, so to speak, through integration and networking, is an area where Bang & Olufsen has been and still is a major pioneer. This integration can take different forms, including linking different types of product to one another, linking different generations of product, and linking Bang & Olufsen products to those from other manufacturers, all to make life easier for our customers,” says Bang & Olufsen senior R&D manager Thomas Ording. “And here adherence to, and certification of, networking standards such as UPnP is crucial. We were already a member of UPnP Forum, and moving up to the Implementer level was a natural progression for us.”

“And we’ve got some additional big name Implementer members coming along in the very near future. All-category UPnP Forum membership numbers are also on the up, with the total now nearing 1,000 companies, organizations and individuals from all regions of the world.”